Slidable trunk or suitcase partition



Nov. 5,1929. .1. RITTER, JR I 1,734,049

SLIDABLE TRUNK OR SUITCASE PARTITION Filed Aug. 25. 1928 IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Nov. 5, 1929 oNiTs-n smrss PArsrrr time 1 JULIUS RITTER, JB., OF RAOINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HARTMANN TRUNK COMPANY, OF RAGINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN SLIDABLE TRUNK OR SUITCASE PARTITION Application filed August 25, 1928. Serial No. 302,000.

This invention relates to improvements in slidable trunk or suitcase partitions.

Certain types of trunks and suitcases, and particularly wardrobe cases, employ in the compartment section, slidable artitions.

Heretofore, said partitions have een slidable in opposed U-shaped or channeled tracks secured to the inner surface of the compartment section and the tendency of the partition was to spread the side walls of the compartment section which was objectionable.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide a slidable partition, which while in place, will serve to rigidly connect and brace the opposite side walls of a case or trunk section and positively hold the same against bulging or spreading with respect to each other.

In Wardrobe cases, garments are suspended from hangers mounted within one section,

the wardrobe section, and extend into the other section, the compartment section.

Then the sections are closed with respect to each other the garments thus suspended are arranged in a U-formation and it has been customary to employ in the compartment section a removable tray, the upper inner edge portion of which served as a pressure medium for the portions of garments within the ward- 3 robe section and served to retain the same in proper position.

It is, therefore, a further object of the invention to provide a slidable partition for use in the compartment section of a case and.

which eliminates the need of a tray therein and serves as a pressure and holding medium for garments suspended within the wardrobe section of the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slidable partition of the class described which is insertable in either of two positions, so as to form a rigid division in a compartment, or so as to have a lower flexible portion to form a gate through which garments may be extended.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slidable partition for trunks or suit-' cases which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, is efficient in use, and 1s 59 well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved slidable partition, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and'all equivalents thereof. V

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a wardrobe case in open position showing the slidable partition mounted in the compartment section Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view 22' of Fig. 1,"only showing the partition disposiad dilferently from that shown in Fig. 1; an

Fig; 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 ofFig. 1 and ona larger scale.

Referring now more particularly to "the drawing, it will appear that the numeral 5 3 indicates a wardrobe case having a wardrobe section 6 with a right angular lower extension portion 6, and a compartmentsection'? hingedly connected along its inner edge portion to the outer edge portion of the extension portion '6. Garments '8 may be hung on hangers 9 suspended from tracks 10 within the upper portion of said wardrobe section, and said garments may extend the length of the wardrobe section, through its open ended extension, and into the compartment section.

A pair of opposed tracks or guides 11 are mounted on opposite inner sidewalls of the compartment section and extend the depth of the same. Said tracks are preferably formed of metal and are'T-shaped in contour and channeled, as shown in Fig. 3, with enlarged inner head guide portions 12 with reduced channeled portions 13 extending inwardlv therefrom.

Adapted for slidable mounting in said tracks or guides 11 is a partition 14 having an upper section 15 and a lower section 16, said sections being hingedly connected as shown at 17 in Fig. 1. Each end portion of the upper section 15 of the partition has clamped thereona metallic flanged member .18 having an outer head portion 18' adapted to be slidably received within the headguide portion 12 of a track member 11. The retaken on line sult of this arrangement is that either both sections or the upper section of said partition may have its end portions slidably entered in said tracks or guides'll and due to the lodgment of the head portions 18' of themembers 18 within the portions 12 of said tracks or guides, the partition serves as a rigid connection or brace between the side walls of the compartment section and the same cannot'bulge or be forced outwardly.

Obviouslv, the partition is susceptible of entire removal from the guides and it also may be inserted in either of two positions. As shown in Fig. 2, both sections of the partition may be inserted in the guides and when so arranged the partition entirely divides portions of the compartment section. Also, the partition may be inserted in the guides in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with only the upper portion of the partition members, the partition being mountable in the guide members with both sections engaged thereby or with only the upper section engaged and the lower section free to be swung.

'3. In a container having side walls, a pair of opposed guide members mounted on opposite inner surfaces of said side walls, and a sectional partition slidably mounted in said guide members, one section of said'partition being foldable with respect to the other-section, the partition being mountable in the guide members with either one or both sections engaged thereby. In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature. I

' JULIUS RITTERQIR.

mounted in the guides and the lower section V 16 swung angularly, this being possible because of angular cut-away-portions 19in the section 16 providing clearance for the guides. When the artition is so disposed, garments may be extended through the opening provided by the section 16 below the section 15 and into the main portion of the compartment section. When the partition is in either of the two positions described the upper edge portion thereof serves to bear against portions of the garments suspended'within the wardrobe section, when the case is closed, and holds the same in place.

" From the foregoing. description it will be seen that the improved slidable trunk or suitcase partition is of simple and novel construction, and'is'well adapted for the purposes described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a container having side walls, a pair of opposed guide members mounted on oppositeinner surfaces of said side walls, and a sectional partition slidably mounted in said guide members, one section of said partition being foldablewith respect to the other section, and said'oth'er section and the guide members being formed with complementary means to prevent longitudinal movement between the partition and side walls, the partition being mountable in the guide members "with either one or both sections engaged thereby.

2. In a container having side walls, a pair of opposed ,T-shaped channeled guide memhers mounted on opposite inner surfaces of said side walls, a bi-sectlonal partition adapted to be removably extended between said side walls, the lower section of said partition being hingedly connected to the upper section thereof and adapted to form a gate in certain positions of adjustment, and laterally flanged members projecting from the ends of the upper section of said partition andslidably engageable with said guide 

